In "Lightning Storm Over Prime Hook", LoFaso reminds viewers that even in dire circumstances (a pandemic), beauty and vivacity can still be found if one looks hard enough.

Artist's Statement: "Materials/Process: Cyanotype on Japanese Masa paper.

Date: 2021

As is true for many of us, the year 2020 was very challenging. During this time I moved my home and studio from Chicago to my current residence in Santa Fe just prior to the inception of the pandemic. After many months of separation from my family and with no vaccine on the horizon, in July of last year we rented a house together on the Delaware shore, about equidistant from our distinct locals of CT and NM.

The backyard of the rental home borders the Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, which offers sanctuary to many animal and plant species on the western shore of the Delaware Bay and includes a safe habitat for migratory birds along the Atlantic Flyway. The notion of spending time in a home that borders a sanctuary has great appeal - physically, emotionally, and psychically.

On the second evening of our stay the skies opened to an intensely dramatic lighting storm and the refuge offered and expansive view of the cloudburst. I captured several images of the lighting that lit up the sky with each successive strike. The storm's outburst seemed to mimic energy released from the stress of this past year. It was exhilarating and had a cleansing effect.

Concerning the theme "Fluid Practices", combining cyanotype with photographic imagery establishes a new direction for my work. I had worked with this 19th C. process in previous projects that did not employ photographic negatives. There are many variables in the process that make it impossible to predict exact outcomes; each print is distinct and I enjoy this aspect of the practice. The color blue has multiple meanings, inspired by my recent relocation to a state that has substantial wide-open space and an expansive blue sky. As the color of the spirit, blue has a healing effect on the body and is associated with intuition, tranquility, and imagination."